Australian Teenager Embarks on Solo Flight to Break Guinness World Record
Seventeen-year-old Rose Donald has taken off from Essendon airport in Melbourne, beginning her ambitious attempt to become the youngest female pilot to fly solo around Australia. The Melbourne teenager departed on Easter Monday in a Cessna 172 VH-DWE plane, launching a journey that will cover more than 15,000 kilometers across the Australian coastline.
Dual Mission: Record-Breaking and Fundraising
Rose's flight serves a dual purpose: breaking aviation records while raising crucial funds for seriously ill children in remote Australian communities. Alongside her primary goal of becoming the youngest female to complete a solo circumnavigation of Australia, she will also attempt to break the distance record for the youngest female pilot flying a small aircraft solo.
'I did want to do something helping kids and the fact that I was able to do that with an aviation-related charity was really great,' Rose told AAP. Her journey will include stops at 25 airports around Australia's coastline, where she plans to meet families of young children during various landings.
Supporting Rural Healthcare Through Little Wings
The student has partnered with volunteer-led charity Little Wings, which provides free transport to specialized medical services for young patients in remote areas. Regional families often face significant challenges accessing healthcare, with a National Rural Health Alliance report revealing that 18,405 people in remote and very remote Australia have no access to primary healthcare services within an hour's drive from their home.
Additionally, small rural towns have 55 percent fewer health professionals than metropolitan areas. Little Wings works to bridge this gap, with their volunteer pilots and drivers transporting more than 5,000 children from distant locations like Ayr and Broken Hill in 2025 alone. More than half of these children had some form of cancer.
The Journey Ahead
Rose has meticulously mapped her route, which will take her from Melbourne to New South Wales, followed by Queensland, up to the Torres Strait, across the Northern Territory and Western Australia before eventually returning to Melbourne—all flown in one continuous direction. She plans to fly approximately four hours daily during her expedition.
An avid audiobook listener, Rose enjoys the serenity of flying alone for extended periods, occasionally reaching her plane's maximum altitude of 9,500 feet. 'I like how freeing it is. It's just really quiet. I really love looking down at all the landscapes and flying over. That's absolutely amazing,' she shared about her flying experience.
Aviation Background and Sponsorship
Rose began learning to fly three years ago, following in the footsteps of her father who is a recreational pilot. Little Wings and petroleum giant BP's aviation division have provided sponsorship to help with rising fuel costs, though Rose hopes more businesses will support her mission.
Clare Pearson, chief executive of Little Wings, praised Rose's initiative: 'Rose is an extension of that concept of people helping people, making a positive change in the world. We encourage people to track her journey, to champion her mission and to donate... every dollar supports seriously ill children in regional Australia to access lifesaving medical treatment that is only available in major cities.'
